Twenty-six-year-old Zenhaeusern, who came third at the same event in Slovenia last season, was seventh after the first run but eventually triumphed in front of Norway's Henrik Kristoffersen and Hirscher in a time of 1min 39.54sec.

At the penultimate stop of the season his time, which gave him his third World Cup win in any format, saw the Swiss beat seven former champions at the event including both Kristoffersen and Hirscher.

They came second and third respectively with times of 1:40.69 and 1:40.71, with Kristoffersen making the podium for the second day in a row after winning the giant slalom yesterday.

While Hirscher had already secured the slalom title for the season, missing out on the podium yesterday meant the two-time Olympic champion was yet to secure the overall World Cup title.

Third place today was enough to guarantee him his eighth straight overall win, however, a feat no other skier has achieved before.

It also gives the Austrian his 20th crystal globe, an achievement only one other athlete, the newly retired Lindsey Vonn of the United States, has managed.

With the Kranjska Gora event now over, the final stop of the World Cup season will go ahead in Soldeu in Andorra, with racing across five disciplines.

The men's downhill and super-G titles are still up for grabs, although France's Alexis Pinturault has already won the Alpine combined.

Hirscher has already claimed the giant slalom title as well as his slalom and overall awards.